Draft



Patented Aug. 23, I898. w. T. VAN norm.

(Applicaticn filed Jan. 14, 1898.)

v 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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- DRAFT APPLIANCE FUR RAILWAY CARS.

(No Model.)

No. 609,482. Patented Aug. 23, I898 W. T. VAN BORN.

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

(Application Med Jan. 14, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 2.

5 wuenroz No. 609,482. Patented Aug. 23, I898.

w. T. VAN BORN. A

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOB RAILWAY CABS.

, (Application filed. Jan, 14, 199B.

(No Model) 3 Sheets$heet 3.

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forth, and

\VILLIAM T. VAN DORN,

ATENT FFlE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,482, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed January 14, 1898. Serial No- 666,7o6. (N model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Q Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. VAN DORN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Draft Appliance for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has relation to improvements pertains to' novel means and construction for securing the stem of the draw-bar and coupling-head in relation to the car, and to improvements in the means for holding and maintaining the stem of the draw-bar in strong resilient position to receive the'im-z pacts consequent and usual in the usages of the service, and to provide equally strong resilient resistance to the forward or pulling movement of the draw-bar.

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction of parts or elements and their combinations, as hereinafter fully set particularly pointed out in the claims. l

The invention is fully and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, horizontally through the stem of the draw-bar, the springs, and the casing or housing which is secured to the carand contains the respective springs and the draw bar stem.

Fig. 2 is a side-elevation, partly in vertical longitudinal section, showing the arrangement of the springs and keys. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the casing or housing adapted to be fitted and fastened to the carto receive and hold the springs and the draw-bar. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section through the housing or casing on the line 4.- 4 of Fig. 8, showing the mode of securing the casing or housing to the supporting-timbers of the car.

A designates a strong and substantial casing or housing, made of suitable cast or malleable metal, constituting acarrier and housing for containing the draw-bar stem and its associated and connected elements or parts. This casing or housing A is formed or made up of a central cylindrical portion 1 of such length anddiameter'as to adapt it to the purposes of holding the draw-bar stem and housing the pull and push springs associated therewith. On the sides of the cylinder are and particularly" formed integral therewith duplicateflat side pieces 2 2*, extending beyond the ends of the cylinder, as at 3, the extensions being formed with curved recesses 4, coinciding with the curveof the cylinder to provide seats for the parts of the springs reaching between the extensions, and strengthening or brace ribs 5 may be formed on the cylinder and side pieces to give additional security to the union of the parts. On the side pieces 2 2 are formed vertical ribs 6, placed adjacent to the ends of the cylinder, which ribs are adapted to fit in corresponding vertical ways or seats formed in the timbers, between which the casing or housing is arranged, and extending outward from the side pieces of the housing at the bottom or lower portion thereof are formed fastening bars or lugs 7, designed to take in mortises or ways formed in the timbers which support the housing. To hold the housing in the required proper position bolts 'are projected through the ribs .5 and laterally-projecting fastening-pieces 7 and also through the extensionsfi of the side pieces of the cylinder, substantially as shown in Fig. 4: of the drawings.

In the interiorof the cylinder portion of the casing A are formed strong transverse partitions 8 3 constituting abutments for the springs on the draw-bar stem and formed with central openings 9 through them, in which the stem of the draw-bar fits and slides, and having vertical keyways 10 in them, which separate the partitions into two semicircular segments or parts, so that the holding-keys of the springs on the draw-bar stem may be permitted to pass through the keyways with the movements of the draw-bar, as will be hereinafter more fully specified in the description of the operation. In alineinent with the keyway of the rear partition 8 is formed a keyhole 11, through which the key operating at that point may be inserted and removed.

C designates the draw-bar, made of malleable or cast steel, with the head and stem integral, the stem being hollow and formed with an annular buffer-collar 12 at a proper point in the front portion, againstwhich one end of the front spring sets and bears or lodges,"

as shown :in-the drawings, and in the stem, at

determined points to suit the lengths of the abutting surfaces for these keys.

springs, are formed vertical keyways 13 13 13 the first two being disposed to stand normally in alinement with the keyways in the partitions in the cylinder of the casing, and at the front of the keyway 13 and at the rear of the keyway 13 in the draw-bar may be form ed partitions 14 14% to provide additional In keyways 13 13 are fitted strong keys 15 15*, extending through the draw-bar stem, as shown, and standing normally, as heretofore mentioned, substantially in alinement with the partitions in the casing. On the draw-bar, between the annular buffer-collar and the face of the partition 8, is arranged a strong spiral spring 16, and on the stem of the draw-bar, within the casin g or housing between the partitions, are arranged two stron gwashers 17 17 between which on the stem is placed a strong spiral spring 19, which spreads the washers to normally hold them against the respective inner faces of the partitions and also subject to the movements of one of the keys 15 15 and on the projecting rear portion of the draw-bar stem is arranged a spiral spring 20, lodged at one end against the rear partition of the casing and at the other end bearing against a washer 21, held on the stem by the key 15", as shown in the drawings.

In the bottom of the housing or casing A is formeda rectangular opening 22, through which the washers 17 17 and the spring 19 may be passed and moved into position to receive the stem of the draw-bar in placing that element in position.

It will be perceived from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, especially Figs. 1 and 2, that by the construction and arrangement of the parts two of the springs are brought into requisition when an impact or pushing force is applied to the draw-bar-that is to say, under such a movement the buffer-collar 12 pushes back the spring 16 against the front face of the partition 8, and at the same time the rearward movement of the draw-bar pushes the key 15 against the washer 17, which carries with it the spring 19, the other end of the spring 19 being held against escape or movement by the washer 17 X against the partition 8 Thus the force or power of both springs 16 and 19 is utilized and the push thus resisted by the duplicated force of the two springs. In the movement just described the key .15 is moved back with the draw-bar. Now when the direction of the movement of the draw-bar is reversed and a pulling force is exerted thereon the key 15 is moved forward, carrying with it the washer 17 X and depressing the spring 19, the other end of which is held against movement by the washer 17, lodged against the partition 8, and at the same time and by the same movement the key 15 in the end of the draw-bar stem forces the spring 20 against the partition 8 and thus brings the double force and power of the springs 19 and 20 in resistance against the power pulling on the draw-bar.

The parts are conveniently assembled in operative relation by the following specified order of procedure: The casing is first fitted and bolted to the timbers of the car or such supports as may be provided therefor. The spring 16 is then slipped over the draw-bar from the rear and moved forward until it lodges against the annular buffer-collar 12, and the spring is then compressed until the key 15 can be passed through its keyway to hold the spring in position. The washer 17, the spring 19, and the washer 17 are then arranged in the chamber of the casing be tween the partitions, and the draw-bar is then lifted and pushed through from the front, passing through the casing and the spring and washers therein, and then the spring 20 is arranged on the projecting rear portion of the stem,the end washer slipped on,the spring compressed, and the key 15 pushed into its seat and the device is ready for use.

It is readily perceived that by lengthening the casingA and duplicating or multiplying the chambers therein by making additional partitions the springs may be multiplied and the power accordingly increased.

What I claim is- 1. In a draft appliance for railway-cars, a casing secured to the car and formed with transverse partitions having draw-bar openings andkeyways therein, a draw-bar slidingly arranged in the openings of the casing, keys projected through the draw-bar to stand normally in the keyways in the casing, a spring on the draw-bar in the casing between said keys, and springs on the draw-bar outside of the casing and abutting against the opposite ends of the casing with their inner ends.

2. In a draft appliance for railway-oars, a casing secured to the car, and having partitions therein, a draw-bar slidingly carried by the casing, spiral springs on the draw-bar outside of the casing and abutting the partitions, and a spiral spring on the draw-bar between the partitions, and the three springs so arranged that two of them will resist the im pact on the draw-bar and two of them the pulling force thereon.

3. In a draft appliance for railway-cars, a casing secured to the car having partitions therein formed with vertical keyways therethrough, a draw-bar slidingly arranged in the casing and formed with keyways adapted to register with the keyways in the partitions of the casing, keys through the draw-bar in said keyways therein, springs on the drawbar arranged to abut with their inner ends against the outer faces of the partitions of the casing, and a spring on the draw-bar between the partitions compressed by one of the keys in the draw-bar when moved back or forward.

4. In a draft appliance for railway-cars, a

casing secured to the car, and formed with partitions having vertical keyways therethrough, a draw-bar slidingly disposed in the casing and having an annular buffer-collar and formed with keyways adapted to register with the keyways in the partitions, a spiral spring on the draw-bar between the annular collar and the front partition of the casing, a spiral spring on the draw-bar between the partitions of the casing and pins of the drawbar, and a spiral spring on the rear portion of the draw-bar between the outer face of the rear partition and the fastening means at the end of the draw-bar.

5. A casing or housing for a draft appliance for railway-cars, consisting of a cylindrical central portion formed with partitions therein having keyways therethrough and draw-bar apertures or openings through the partitions, and an opening in the bottom of the casing and formed with integral side pieces whereby the casing or housing may be secured to the car.

6. A casing or housing for a draw-bar'and the springs thereon, consisting of a cylin- 25 drical central portion formed with partitions therein having keyways therethrough and central draw-bar openings, and having an opening in the under side of the casing between the partitions, and formed with side pieces extending beyond the ends of the cyl- 

